Kokum / Coccum
Garcinia indica
Also known as Brindonia Tallow Tree, Goa-Butter, Indian Gamboge, Indian Tallow Tree, Kokam Butter Tree, Mangosteen Oil Tree, Wild Mangosteen
- Habit
- Tree
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa & more
- Flowering
- November-August
Plant Details
- Scientific name
- Garcinia indica
- Genus
- Garcinia
- Family
- Clusiaceae
- Habit
- Tree
- Habitat
- Cultivated
- Habitat type
- Cultivated
- Native to
- India
- Found in India
- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Karnataka, Gujarat
- Flowering & fruiting
- November-August
- Conservation status
- Not Evaluated (NE)
Leaf characters
- Arrangement
- Opposite
Typical of the Clusiaceae family — a field-mark hint, not measured for this exact species.
Flower & fruit characters
- Flower symmetry
- Variable
- Inflorescence
- Variable
- Fruit
- Capsule
Typical of the Clusiaceae family — flowering plants only; individual species can differ.
Local Names
- Hindi
- कोकम Kokum,कोकम kokam
- Tamil
- murgal, murgal-mara, முருகல்
- Telugu
- కొకుంబ
- Kannada
- ಮುರ್ಗಿನ ಹುಳಿ Murgina huli, ಪುನರ್ಪುಳಿ Punarpuli, Devana huli
- Malayalam
- കാട്ടമ്പി kaattampi, കൊക്കം kokkam, കോകം
- Marathi
- भेरंड bheranda, भिरंड bhiranda, कोकंब kokamba, कोकम
Kokum in India
Kokum, known as कोकम Kokum (Hindi), murgal (Tamil), కొకుంబ (Telugu), ಮುರ್ಗಿನ ಹುಳಿ Murgina huli (Kannada), കാട്ടമ്പി kaattampi (Malayalam), भेरंड bheranda (Marathi), is a signature fruit of India's Konkan coast. Garcinia indica is found across Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Karnataka, Gujarat, typically in the humid forests of the Western Ghats.
Uses
The dried rind is a classic souring agent in Konkani and Goan cooking (fish curries, saol/solkadhi), the fruit is made into the cooling summer drink kokum sherbet, and the seed fat (kokum butter) is used in cosmetics and confectionery.
How to Identify Kokum
A slender evergreen tree with drooping branches and glossy, dark green leaves that flush pinkish when young. Flowers are small and reddish, followed by round fruit that ripens from green to a deep purple-red, its rind dried into the familiar dark, tangy kokum.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Coccum called in different Indian languages?
- कोकम Kokum (Hindi); murgal (Tamil); కొకుంబ (Telugu); ಮುರ್ಗಿನ ಹುಳಿ Murgina huli (Kannada); കാട്ടമ്പി kaattampi (Malayalam); भेरंड bheranda (Marathi).
- What is kokum used for?
- Its dried rind souring Konkani and Goan curries, its juice made into kokum sherbet, and its seed fat pressed into kokum butter for cosmetics and confectionery.
- Is kokum the same as tamarind?
- No — both are used to add sourness to cooking, but they're unrelated plants (Garcinia indica vs. Tamarindus indica) with distinctly different flavours.
Clusiaceae
Mangosteen/Garcinia family
Kokum belongs to the Clusiaceae family.
The illustration represents the family — not necessarily this exact species.
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Common plant problems
All plant problem & care guides →More in Clusiaceae
View all Clusiaceae →Sources: GBIF — Garcinia indica (India distribution & vernacular names) (CC BY 4.0) · Wikipedia — Garcinia indica (background/comprehension only) (CC BY-SA 4.0)